Funeral & Memorial
How to buy funeral and memorial products without overpaying
Funeral buying happens under time pressure, which is exactly why prices vary so widely. In the US, the FTC Funeral Rule means a funeral home must accept a casket or urn you bought elsewhere and cannot charge you a handling fee for it — so third-party pricing is genuinely usable.
What to look for
Confirm the delivery date before the price
A cheaper casket that lands after the service is worthless. Ask for a guaranteed delivery date in writing, and prefer retailers that ship direct to the funeral home.
Match size and material to the need, not the brochure
Standard caskets fit up to roughly 6'6"/300 lb; oversize is a separate line. For urns, size in cubic inches roughly equals body weight in pounds — 200 cu in covers most adults. Cremation-only? A simple cremation container is legal and far cheaper.
Separate goods from services
Compare goods (casket, urn, marker, programs) against other goods retailers, and services (transport, facilities, staff) against other funeral homes. Bundled packages hide which side the markup is on.
Check engraving and personalization terms
Engraving is often priced per character or per line and is usually non-returnable. Confirm proofs, turnaround and whether engraving delays shipping.
Read the return and damage policy
Freight damage is common on caskets and headstones. Look for damage-in-transit replacement, not just a refund, and photograph the crate on arrival.
Traps that inflate the total
- Cemetery or funeral-home "required" upgrades that aren't legally required — ask for the rule in writing.
- Sealed/gasketed caskets sold as preservation; they don't preserve remains.
- Free shipping offers that exclude residential or expedited delivery.
- Memorial program printing quoted per page instead of per finished booklet.
What you should expect to pay
Typical online ranges: cremation urns $60–$300, cremation containers $100–$400, 20-gauge steel caskets $900–$1,600, solid hardwood $1,800–$3,500, flat granite markers $600–$1,500, 100 folded programs $80–$200.
Now compare the actual prices
Every offer is ranked by landed cost — price plus shipping — so the cheapest badge is honest.
Open the Funeral & Memorial comparison